Voices: Behold, God is doing a new thing

Once again, our God has allowed us the privilege to spread the spirit of hope in the midst of dire conditions and uncertain times.

I have asked people who are many years my senior if they had ever known a time when the physical doors of the church were closed. The answer I am receiving from these octogenarians is “no.” However, not one of those senior adults is afraid “the end is near.”

Many people are in a quandary, and their day-to-day routines are being interrupted by an enemy they cannot see. As “people of faith,” we have been preaching and teaching the real enemy is one we could not ever see with our human eyes. Yet, the real enemy of humanity is spiritual in nature, and the word of God has revealed that fact to us all through the inspired writing of the Apostle Paul.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, ESV).

Facing our opportunity

We now have the opportunity to use this present crisis to our evangelistic advantage. Few can deny the new coronavirus (COVID 19) is invisible to the naked eye. It is an enemy that is a clear and present danger to life as we know it.

Now is the time for Christians to go on the offensive and share the truths of the gospel with the hopeless masses who are being confronted with their mortality. While people are at home and literally captive, we can use our social media platforms to encourage them to find their hope in Christ our Savior and Sovereign.

Modern technology has placed us closer to each other, and we now can communicate with our friends, family and congregants like never before. Now, for the first time in modern history, our fellow church members can invite their family members to join them in worship no matter their location or proximity.

Literally thousands of people can participate in free conference calls that can be transformed into “virtual prayer sessions” by merely dialing in on the telephone. The marvel of social media platforms can link congregations together while people sit in the comforts of their homes.

The beginning of a new thing

I do believe God is doing a new thing with our churches, our fellow congregants and the church universal. Like the octogenarians who I spoke to about our present crisis, I don’t believe oblivion is near. I believe this is the beginning of a new phase in the life of the church.

We know from our understanding of Scripture that the church is not the brick and mortar of our buildings. The true church resides in the heart of the believer in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Cheer up! We are blessed to be alive and a part of this new thing God is doing through his church. That’s you!

Rev. Dr. Michael Evans Sr. is the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield, Texas, and the president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. This article is republished by permission of Texas Baptists.